Maybe that's what you're really after--dangle the hope of Hispanic votes, then see him defeated.
I love that...his "base".
Here's a clue...the base of a triangle is not its narrowest point.
His "base" does not consist of the 3% that will vote third party next election.
His base IS the majority who will vote him back in office for a second term.
He'll lose only a few from his base (most will hold their noses and vote for him come election time), and he'll get a few new Hispanic votes, but not enough to make a difference. You're right, Hispanics will still overwhelming vote 'Rat regadless of what Bush does.
Vote pandering is usually aimed at the center of the political spectrum, and if polls are any inidication, the majority of the center is staunchly against Bush's proposal. Either the WH miscalculated or there's another reason for this. Perhaps it's political payback to campaign contributers whose businesses desire cheap labor in return for filling the GOP coffers. ......Many possibilites exist.
I tend to agree with you. GWB is out in no-mans land on this one. The left says he hasn't gone far enough and most conservative says he went too far.
Maybe he's just trying to get more of the soccer mom vote.
Of course he won't, his proposal won't make them instant citizens. The ones in his base are LEGALIZED CITIZENS. He may lose "a good many", but he certainly won't lose "every single one".